Florida Car Hire, California Car Hire and all US Car Hire

Car Hire Terms & Conditions

Note: These do not apply to US domestic bookings i.e. orders made by US Driving Licence holders. If you are a US driving licence holder then click here to access the Terms & Conditions that relate to you.

Alamo, National and DollarDrivers must be at least 21 years old to drive. Drivers age 21-24 are subject to a local fee of approx $20 - $25 per day upon collection of the car. If you choose the Young Driver's Package we offer with Alamo then up to three young drivers will be exempt from this charge.

AVAILABILITY OF CARS:The rental companies have a large Fleet of cars, however, cars can be reserved only by car category and not by specific make, model, size or specific features. Seating capacity will be as per your category booked and car sizes can vary across categories. If for any reason the car reserved is unavailable, the rental company will provide a similar car at no extra cost.

UPGRADING THE CAR:It is important to reserve the right car for your party, however, upgrading to a larger car can be done at the time of rental, subject to availability. The cost of the upgrade will be shown separately on the rental agreement and will be charged at local rates which are usually very expensive. If you agree to upgrade your car on collection, you can not seek a refund for this on your return. Make sure you are clear exactly how much you are paying. Taxes and surcharges will be applicable on any upgrades charged.

If the rental company advise you the car booked is not large enough for your party and luggage, then you have a right to attempt to use the car as booked provided you do not have more people than the car is designed to carry. Upgrade costs for taking a larger car than booked can not be refunded by us under any circumstances.

If prior to collection you decide to upgrade to a larger car, you can request this through us, provided we have 4 business days notice. You will be charged the difference between the car at the price originally booked, and the car type you are upgrading to at current prices. This will work out significantly cheaper than upgrading on arrival. No admin fee will be charged for upgrading your car through us prior to rental.

CAR CATEGORIESCars are booked by category. As we work with several suppliers that each have varying names for their car categories, the category names we use may occasionally differ to those used by a particular rental company. For example, our 7 Seater Minivan might be referred to as a Standard Minivan by one supplier, a Luxury Minivan by another supplier and Premium MPV by another supplier. On your voucher the category is usually stated using the category name and code as used by the supplier.

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS:Additional drivers must meet all rental requirements and pay the appropriate fee where applicable. Note, the 'Silver Inclusive' package allows 1 or 2 drivers depending on the rental company you choose (email us for details). Alamo and National allow up to 4 drivers in California on our Silver option. The 'Gold Inclusive' package allows unlimited drivers with Dollar and 4 drivers with Alamo and National. All drivers must show a valid driving license and photo ID on collection of the car.

INFANT SEATS:Children under 3 years of age must be properly secured in a child passenger restraint. Children and 4+ must wear a safety belt.

IMPORTANT: Parents / Guardians will be asked to install these restraints themselves. Infant seats are payable on collection of the car at approx $7 - $10 per day per seat with a maximum charge of $70 total for any rental.

Fuel Policy:

Silver Option / Silver Basic Option

Alamo, National and Dollar and Thrifty: Collect with a full tank and return full to avoid refueling charges. You can opt to collect with a full tank and return empty. Pay for the tank at approx the same price as the pump, plus tax.

Gold Option

Dollar, Thrifty, Alamo and National: Collect with a full tank and return empty. You will not be charged for the tank of fuel as this is included in the price. In New York only, Alamo and National Gold option does not include the cost of the initial tank of fuel. Dollar and Thrifty Gold option does not include fuel in ALL Manhattan locations.

ONE WAY RENTALS:There are no charges for one way rentals within participating locations in the States of Florida and many California location. All other one way rentals are subject to a drop charge and must be requested in advance.

In areas where 1-way rental charges apply, this is a charge made by the rental company, not by us. We can advise you, on request in advance, of current 1-way fees, but please note these are subject to change. We have no control over the rate charge and are not notified in advance of any changes. The free 1-way rentals as stated above are guaranteed and not subject to local changes.

DRIVING AREAS:Cars may be driven into any State in mainland USA. Some cars may be driven into Canada, but must be returned to the rental location in the USA. Check with the rental company on collection of the car.

DEPOSIT:The lead drivers should possess a major credit card to show for deposit on collection of the car. A UK Visa Debit card is often accepted, but not Visa Electron nor Switch. The credit card will be 'swiped' typically for $1 and charged in the case of returning the car late, or any other local charges you agree to such as child seats or personal insurance. Alamo and National accept debit card deposit payment provided you have a return flight ticket.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

All locations, Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice.

Vehicle availability may be restricted and vehicle specification may be subject to change without notice

CANCELLATIONS / No Show'sYou are entitled to a full refund of any payments made, for cancellations made up to 2 working days prior to collection of your car.Notice of cancellation must be made in writing (or by email) and received by us prior to this time. If you do not collect your car that has been booked and pre-paid (this is called a 'no-show') then you are not entitled to a refund.

Booking Amendments No admin charge is made for amendments to bookings. In the event you amend your booking and the rental price therefore changes, we will either charge the the difference if greater, or refund the difference if a lesser amount. Note, we can not guarantee to be able to make an amendment within 2 business days of your pick-up date although we will endeavor to do so.

REFUNDS:No partial refunds are available for bookings where vehicle is returned early.

DRIVING LICENSES: All drivers must posses a full, valid driving license. If your license is not in the English language then you will require an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your local licensing authority.

If your driving license has a paper counter-part then you must take the paper part as well as the photo part. If you have the old type with only a paper part then you will be required to show other official photo ID such as your passport.

RENTAL AGREEMENT / COMPLAINTS

When you collect your car from the rental company, you will complete and sign a rental agreement and a copy will be given to you. In the unlikely event of a problem or complaint upon your return, we can only deal with your issue if you have this paperwork. Therefore it is important you keep the rental agreement paperwork safe after your rental. We can only deal with a complaint on your behalf if we are notified within 8 weeks of return of your car.

Note, when you collect your car, you will sign a rental agreement. There is a clear section showing any charges due. Before you sign, you must ensure that you are not signing for any items you have not agreed to. Once you sign and agree to this, there is no way to refund any charges.

LOCAL CHARGES

General: There may be local charges for other optional items such as child seats, 1-way fees, enhanced road side assistance, GPS systems, car upgrade, tank of fuel (when on Silver option) or anything else you agree with the car rental company on collection of the car. Taxes and surcharges will be levied on the cost of any local charges you have agreed to. It is your responsibility to check the paperwork supplied before you sign the contract as any extras you agree to can not be refunded after that time. If you see any charges on the paperwork that you have not agreed to, then ask a staff member to remove the charge.

NATURE OF CONTRACT Our Suppliers will issue a Pre-Paid Voucher after receipt of full payment for your rental. On arrival at the location you will exchange the Pre-Paid Voucher and sign a binding contract which will form between the rental company and the customer. This contract is only available in English. By signing this contract on arrival you agree to be bound by its terms and conditions and your contact with our Suppliers ends. Please note our Suppliers can only take payment during normal UK business hours.

PRICING These prices are subject to variation until such time as your booking is made. Once you have made a payment (either deposit or balance) the price quoted will be fixed. Therefore you will receive no refund if our prices drop nor will you be require to pay extra if our prices increase. In the event of a misquote, we reserve the right to cancel your order before your voucher is issued.

BALANCE PAYMENTS If placing an order in advance of 8 weeks prior to collection of your car, we only require a £25 deposit. 8 weeks prior to your rental you must pay your balance, after which your voucher will be issued. Bookings not paid for by the working day prior to collection may be cancelled by our supplier.

LIMIT OF OUR LIABILITYWe act as sales agents only for our car hire suppliers (our "Suppliers"). We do not handle your money at any time. This is done solely by our Suppliers. We do not accept liability for claims of any kind or for any reason. Your contract is with our Suppliers and not with Orlando Villas or US Car Hire.

RENTAL DURATION

Alamo / National

Maximum of 56 days in a single rental period throughout the USA

Dollar:

Florida: Maximum of 56 days in a single rental period

Other US States: Maximum of 28 days in a single rental period

If you book a car for a longer period than above, this is permitted, but you will be required to return to the depot at a point within your overall rental that would mean no single segment of the rental exceeds the maximum duration for the area in question.

Once you have placed your order, if you do not advise us otherwise, our supplier will choose a date and location. This can be amended if it is not suitable, up to the date of collection of the car. If you exchange your car in a different location than you collect, or than you will drop off, then a 1-way fee may be payable based on the 1-way fee policy of the locations involved.

Items NOT included in the car rental insurance coverage

In line with all suppliers, none of the rental companies cover the following items on their insurance / emergency road side assistance package, so you would need to cover these costs yourself.

Flat Battery (if you leave your lights on. Covered if faulty battery)

Damage caused by putting the wrong fuel type in the car (e.g. putting diesel in a petrol car)

Broken Windows

Tyre replacement (e.g. if damaged by hitting the curb. Covered if worn)

Key replacement if you lose the key

Roadside assistance if you lock yourself out of the car

Damage to underside of vehicle if you are found to be driving 'off-road' which is not permitted

Damage to the roof of the car if you place goods on the roof or drive under a low barrier etc.

Damage to the interior (caused by spilling drinks, cigarette burns in seats etc)

Suppliers may offer you additional roadside assistance to cover the above eventualities, which is optional. They will ask for an additional daily fee for this. You do not have to take this, and by accepting it at the beginning of your rental will not be entitled to a refund. This can cost between $6 - $10 per day, or you can pre-purchase for $2.50 per day from our website prior to collecting your car.